The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-01-20

sell 70 blame that this marriage has -
A violent ringing At the telephone again
broke the current Hallo," said our
young novelist.
Mildred, is that you ?''
"Yes, is it you, AliceP''
Yes. Mamma does not feel very we'll
and wishes you to take luncheon with rs
She has sent the carriage. Ee ready to
come soon ~ it arrives.'' Obviously no
more authorship to-day. So slipping her
epaper into her desk she departed.
The new purpose of authorship brought
great light and hope into Mildred's life.
She pictured to herself bis reading her
story, possibly reviewing it. After he
has written oil kinds of nice things about
it will tell him that 1 am the author !;
or-and her heart turned cold and sick
what if he should say it was trashr For,
Of course, like other good critics, Jobo
was seldom pleased. If things were all
excellent, what would be the need of
critics So he had cultivated the art of
discovering flaws in what seemed to or
binary readers pure gems. He had de-
veloped rather talent for pillorying peo-
pie in . single terse phrase, and was much
valued for his skill in beating down with
the editorial club tender young espirants
who were trying to make themselves
heard. This sounds brutal. But he was
only professionally brutal In his per.
sonal characteristics none could be more
tender or sympathetic.
Mildred knew of this caustic vein and
believed it too-as she did also all of
Johns attributes and gifts" but" she
thought, "if he should say any of those
dreadful things about me; what should
do? / should never-never-tell him. {"
And so during the entire day she
thought and planned. New intricacies
of plot suggesting themselves-vivid and
Interesting scenes comiug before her
stimulated imagination.
Her mother urged her remaining and
sending for her husband to dine with
them. Her secret desire was to return,
but she looked at her mothers face and
had not the heart to refuse. She would
stay and send for John.
That gentleman arrived at home at the
usual hour. As he put his latchkey into
the door he smiled, thinking Of the quick
ear which was listening for it, and Of the
pretty apparition which would meet him
in the hall. "By jove," lie thought,
"what lucky fellow I ami"
But the expected figure did not come
% meet him. He was conscious Of a lit.
tie chill of disappointment, and still more
as he wandered through the rooms and
found all silent and deserted.
He rang for the maid.
"Where is your mistress
"She is out, sir. There's a note, sir
somewhere" and she looked anxiously
about. "Oh, it is on her desk,' said she
with returnin:c, memory, STAR ing to go for
"No matter, l will get it," and John
taraeds his impatient steps toward his
wife's room. There was no note on the
desk, and quite naturally he opened the
lid. His eyes were riveted upon the
words before him:
DEAR FRANK-I return herewith the
letters which l have no longer any right
to keep. l need not tell You what it costs
me
He felt as if his blood were turned into
ice.
1 have reflected much upon what you
said yesterday
Yesterday John felt as if he were
going mad. Yesterday !"-and be had
so trusted her! The room had grown
black and great sledge hammer was
beating in his brain, but he read on-up-
on what you said yesterday, but am at
last resolved. will not see you again. Any
attempt to make me break this resolve will
be fruitless. God knows you have only
yourself to blame that this marriage
has
John stood for o few moments as if
turned into stone, his face blanched, his
muscles tense. Then q roy of hope
seemed to come to him. "There is no
signature it is not hers. He looked
again. How could he doubt it! He
knew too we'll the turn of every letter.
He was alternately livid with rage and
choking with grief His dream of happi-
ness vanished. Something like . curse
came from between his closed teeth.
I" She loves this man, and she meets him
and tells him 80, and only yesterday. Oh,
it is too horriblei too horrible!" He
buried his face in his hands and groaned.
81 shall 60 away; shall never"- At
that moment the telephone bell rang. He
took no notice of it. II shall never -
Again it rang long and loud. What
should he do? There was no one else to
answer it; he must 60. So he said husk-
lily, Hello!
Mildred's silvery voice replied, " John,
is that your"
The situation was shocking. How
could he reply but! there was no
time for reflection. He knew that the
Central Office would share all his conf.
denoes through that internal piece of black
walnut and ebony. So he said:
eyes"
"Why do you not Gomez Dinner is
waiting for YOU"
How we'll he knew the pretty inflec.
tions of that voice!
II wish no dinner-I am going away
good-by."
1t might have been the conventional
telephonic "good-by," or it might con-
| tain . profounder meaning.
The effect at the other end of the line
cannot be described. Ten minutes later
. cab drove furiously up to the door of
the apartment house, and Mildred, with
white face and fast beating heart, rushed
into the room, and would have rushed
into Johns arms if he had let her.
"You are going away" che said
breathlessly.
"You are very clever actress" said
that gentleman, repulsing her intended
embrace.